The Drought is Over
Caleb Downs scores Ohio State’s first punt return touchdown since 2014.
Fresh off a 38-7 handling of Army last Saturday in the Shoe, the Buckeyes return to action tomorrow as 40-point favorites against UNLV.
The noon banger should be high on heat and low on suspense as the Buckeye pass offense and pass defense continue efforts to work out the kinks.
With Ohio State in the middle of a soft spot in the schedule, this week's guest, Tommy Schutt, knows a little bit about the middle as he enjoyed a solid career along the defensive interior for the Buckeyes and has a national championship ring to prove it.
Tommy joins 11W staffers Ramzy Nasrallah, Vico and Jimmy Longo in the UNLV edition of the roundtable.
And off we go..
J.K. Dobbins continued his hot start to the season and is now averaging 141 rush yards per game on 7.7 per carry. What former buckeye does Dobbins remind you of? Why?
Tommy: J.K. Dobbins reminds me of a faster Carlos Hyde. J.K.’s ability to break arm tackles at the line of scrimmage and get to the second level is where his success starts. When he gets to the second level, he has the ability to be physical and run through people and also has the quickness and agility to make people miss. Also, the way that J.K. finishes runs reminds me of Carlos Hyde. J.K. is always finishing his runs with a physical presence, falling forward.
Vico: It's tough to say because he thrives in the particular offense in which he plays. I'm trying to envision him as a true freshman in an I-formation offense after having last played football as a high school junior. Closest comparison I can conjure at the moment is Robert Smith, who also had a nifty change-of-direction ability in him as well as an uncanny ability to negotiate traffic at the line of scrimmage. The comparison is far from perfect because Smith was more of a long-strider at tailback.
Ramzy: I said during the IU game Dobbins was basically a Fun Size Clarett. Maurice had a couple inches and about 15 lbs on J.K. but watching both of them, they share two attributes that true freshman backs have no business having: veteran vision and feet so quick it's unfair.
Jimmy: Dobbins in his freshman season is a much better version of the Antonio Pittman mold. Six feet tall if he stretches and over 200 pounds, Dobbins is the small but elusive back that is eating up yards and yards. Sure it’s a small sample size through three games, but Dobbins is averaging two more yards per carry than Pittman against two pretty tough opponents — a road Big Ten game and against Oklahoma. Not bad for a true freshman, eh?
Personally, I’ve seen enough of Ohio State against service academies. I enjoy the pomp and circumstance but not at the expense of almost throwing away a week of preparation you aren’t likely to lean on again. What about you? Do you like the idea of scheduling service academies? why or why not?
Vico: I share your view. Service academies do well for the pageantry surrounding the game but their sui generis style of football makes it difficult for the program to build on successive games with opponents the style of which it won't see again. I suppose that's generalizable to Georgia Tech too, which does less for the pageantry but similarly wastes a week's worth of practices defending against cut blocks.
Ramzy: I love it. The industry of college football has transformed my favorite leisure activity into something that feels dirty to enjoy. Army, Navy and Air Force getting after it with strategy and heart brings me life. Just watch out for the cut blocks.
Jimmy: I mean me writing a story on the importance of playing service academies and talking to former OSU defensive lineman Joe Brown certainly doesn’t help my stance. But no, I think they’re at least viable. There’s a lot of things playing service academies can do for athletes not playing for them or going to school at them. It’s kind of that humbling experience regardless that I feel could definitely have helped some players hone in on last week and kind of refocus themselves towards the team’s ultimate goals.
Tommy: The 2014 season, my junior year, we opened the season at Navy. It was an awesome experience getting the chance to compete against guys who are dedicated to football, but ultimately attended Navy to protect our country. I have the utmost respect for student athletes at the service academies. Although, we were forced to dedicate extra time in spring ball and throughout the summer and camp to prepare for their offense. I feel that playing against the service academies is an awesome experience, but having to play them early in the season absolutely takes time away from preparing for other games. Personally, I wouldn’t mind seeing the Buckeyes schedule a different non-conference game that will better prepare them for the season.
Tuf Borland looked pretty good in the middle against predictable offense as he filled in for an injured Chris Worley. Any chance he sees more time over the long run? The linebacking corps in general has been far from stellar. Any shakeups beyond maybe more time for Borland that you’d like to see? Is Worley the right guy for the middle or is this simply a move out of necessity?
Jimmy: I’d love to see Borland just bust out in this role. I think this may be one of those cases where he takes the reigns and doesn’t give them back again. Not because Worley isn’t a team leader or formidable in the middle, although I’ve always thought he should have stayed at the outside. The only other shakeups I’d maybe like to see is the young pups playing a little if the secondary continues to underwhelm against a passing team. Jeff Okudah, Shaun Wade if he gets healthy etc.
Ramzy: If Brian Rolle and Matt Wilhelm had a baby it would be Tuf Borland. Ball-carrier magnet with high energy who is just fun to watch, albeit with a small sample size and against a run-oriented attack. His presence was immediate and undeniable - DJ even muttered Worley Pipp during the Army game while Borland was popping. I don't think we're there yet, and the linebacker situation is all hands on deck vs. a team that airs it out.
Tommy: I agree, Tuf Borland did look solid this past Saturday. I am anxious to see him get some playing time facing more complex offenses and against B1G opponents. Tuf is a guy who has stood out to me on special teams as well. With all that being said, Chris Worley is one of the best leaders I have been around. His ability to lead by example with effort and his dedication to the team and the game is very impressive. In my opinion, Worley is the guy who should be in the middle. But, I wouldn’t mind seeing some other guys get some meaningful snaps to see how they perform.
Vico: Borland played well but I fear our issues there are more structural. I always respected Luke Fickell as a solid linebacker coach but never thought I'd miss him after he left for Cincinnati. I wonder about the instruction our linebackers are getting. We bemoan the secondary but so much of what made the Oklahoma game a disaster was our linebackers uncritically biting on any play-action that opened up the seam for Baker Mayfield. It never got better over the course of the game either.
To answer the question, I think Worley is fine in the middle and he'll probably return when healthy. I'm just kind of curious what Billy Davis is teaching inside the linebackers' coaching room.
The top six guys making up Zone Six had 25 receptions for 258 yards versus the Black Knights. Anything in particular you came away with as feeling you’d seen legit progress? Parris Campbell leads the squad in both catches (15) and yards (217) while K.J Hill also has 15 grabs. By end of year, will those two be two most productive receivers? Or maybe you see Austin Mack or another guy making a leap?
Vico: I think there's important progress to be made in just putting the wide receivers in a position to succeed. We're obviously not beating defensive backs on go routes and no one on the depth chart is a Desean Jackson. That said, Day and Wilson are doing well to compensate by daisy-chaining run-pass options that allow our receivers to work underneath coverage. Since they have the ability to fly and make the first guy miss, that's progress alone in stretching our passing game and opening up the field for J.K. Dobbins when he gets the ball. There's something to be said about putting the players in a position to succeed.
I think I'm on record as saying K.J. Hill would have around 600 receiving yards this season though I thought Johnnie Dixon would be in a better position to contribute. I think it's Campbell and Hill all the way.
Tommy: To be honest, I had very high expectations for Zone Six leading up to this season and have been disappointed in their performance thus far. They have phenomenal leadership in that room, starting with Paris Campbell and Terry McLaurin. I feel that is it up to those guys to the rest of the WR unit to perform. Terry McLaurin is a guy I need to see step up, make plays and be a game changer. He has all the tools to be a great WR, I just haven’t seen that yet this season. I like what I have seen from K.J. Hill, I think he has the ability to create and make plays with the ball in his hands. I would love to see guys like Austin Mack and Benjamin Victor become more involved in the game plan. THE MORE WEAPONS THE BETTER. I expect for Paris Campbell to lead the team in catches and yards significantly by the time the season ends.
Jimmy: I said before the season that I thought Ben Victor had the chance of having a breakout season. I don’t want to run away from that with total abandonment but I will say that because of trust, Parris Campbell is definitely one of those two productive receivers. I think we’re going to see a lot more out of Austin Mack given he stays healthy. I’ll go with Mack for the second.
Ramzy: They're all very good at catching the ball while stationary and uncovered, which is part of the reason Army got bubble screened to death (the other part being to loosen up defending the R in RPO). They're also good at squatting in the holes a zone provides and catching passes while standing with their backs to the defense. I have little confidence in their ability to become better in-route pass-catchers with their heads turned, and the blame is shared between their poor mechanics and the guy sending the ball in their direction. None of the six starters has risen above the rest in terms of holistic receiver performance. If they commit themselves to blocking on short routes and successfully advancing Ohio State's RPO attack, it's a step in the right direction. It just doesn't make any sense to me to hope for sudden competence downfield when in man coverage.
Ohio State's offense was much more effective against Army as Kevin Wilson called a ton RPOs but J.T. Barrett still struggled to stretch the field. The prevailing belief is that this type of offense is good enough to beat average teams but isn’t ready for primetime. Do you agree? Why or why not?
Tommy: The passing game and the ability to stretch the field starts with the run game. Ohio State has had great success in the run game so far this season, but I do not feel that other teams truly fear our run game. When the opponent truly fears the run game and it forces them to change their scheme and game plan, which will allow for opportunities for J.T. to stretch the field. When a team is forced to pack the box in attempt to stop the run, the playbook opens up. RPO’s are an essential part of Ohio State’s offense, as it keeps the defense guessing. As the season goes on, I see teams starting to truly fear the Buckeyes run game and the passing game will explode.
Ramzy: It's more than enough to beat average teams. It's also a recipe for driving Ohio State fans nuts, many of whom are now watching games specifically to critique the downfield passing game and J.T. Barrett versus consuming the game as a whole. The 2015 visit to Michigan the week after that awful MSU episode, where the Buckeyes devoured the Wolverines with the inside running game, option and occasional shots worked fine. Win the game. Make them quit. Get better. Then win again. Enough with the constant micro-judging. This is supposed to be fun.
Jimmy: I mean if Ohio State is reliant on a ton of RPOs in order to move down the field with J.T. Barrett at quarterback I think that’s a problem in itself. Baker Mayfield certainly operated pretty well in primetime a couple weeks ago with a bunch of RPOs. I see Baker Mayfield getting OSU linebackers to bite and dumping the ball over the middle in my nightmares. But no, get Weber all healthy and then see what Urban and Kevin Wilson draw up with two backs in the backfield, the team’s evolution etc. I’m under the belief the offense will (hopefully) be more versatile at that point.
Vico: I think that's fair. Day and Wilson did well to put the players in a position to succeed but no player on the roster is the deep threat like Devin Smith or the brilliant route-runner that Michael Thomas was. There are also important limitations at offensive line, especially at right tackle, that preclude the kind of pocket to allow vertical plays to develop like that.
Granted, Ohio State has athletes and can still rack up a 10-win season. Alas, that's a fair indictment of Ohio State right now, just in looking at the offense. I still have some questions about what's happening in the linebackers' coaching room.
Rank the bottom four position groups starting with the least effective. Support your answer.
Vico: I'll go with:
- Linebacker: I'm still aghast at how that unit uncritically bit on every play-action all the time against Oklahoma. Joe Moorhead would have to love seeing that especially with a tight end like Mike Gesicki and a back like Saquon Barkley.
- Offensive line: Ohio State is No. 74 in sacks allowed through three games as major pass protection issues hobble what is otherwise a sterling run-blocking offensive line.
- Wide receiver: We'll retreated water in noting the unit is full of great athletes but no one stands out as wide receiver. Drops and the inability to create separation down the field follow these concerns.
- Quarterback: I'm tempted between this and the secondary but it's hard for me to isolate which of the secondary's concerns fall on the safeties versus the corners. Here I'll note Barrett's regressed since his 2014 injury---coordinator turnover hasn't helped---and sometimes gets in his own head too much.
Tommy: My four in order would be:
- Wide Receivers: I feel confident in the WR Unit’s leadership, but they need to be able to change the game in one play with the ball in their hands. Timing is essential with our offense, so if the WR’s aren’t able to get separation out of their break, it makes J. T’s life a whole lot harder. Effort is not a question with this group, this unit plays hard but at the end of the day it comes down to going out and making plays on Saturdays.
- Defensive Backs: This was one of the units I was most excited to watch this season. It is a very young and athletic group. Although, so far this season, their youth has showed. With this group, I feel that mastering the defense/playbook is a must so they can play with confidence and without hesitation. At times, so far this season, it seems that the secondary is confused and not everyone is on the same page in the back end. This unit has all the talent in the world, but playing at a high level is difficult when you aren’t confident in your assignment or play call.
- Tight Ends: I feel like this position group has flown under the radar so far this season. I would love to see the TE’s become more involved in the offense. I wouldn’t say that this position group has played poorly thus far, but I haven’t heard much talk about this group. Marcus Baugh is a guy who can keep the defense on their heels with his ability to be effective in both the pass and run game. At times, I feel the offense can be predictable and getting #85 more touches will keep the defense guessing.
- Quarterback: I am a firm believer that J.T. is the guy for the job. The talk of someone replacing him is out of the question in my opinion. With that being said, this is J. T’s offense and it has been for the last 4 years. Everyone on the team respects J.T. and the way he handles his business both on and off the field. J.T. is the leader of the offense and the entire team. To me, it is on him to find a way to get the guys around him to step up and perform. Whether that means more film or more walk throughs, J.T. has to find a way for the offense to all be on the same page and that train will start running. Like we have seen in previous years…when that train gets going…it’s very difficult to stop.
Jimmy: I'm going with:
- Wide Receivers: hot take to some, understood by more. The WR room is pretty reliant on a running back converted to H-back and besides that, it hasn’t been great.
- Secondary: the Army game was a nice break from having a ton of responsibility, though Erick Smith saved them from giving up a passing touchdown to a team that hadn’t passed the ball in two games.
- Quarterback: the games haven’t been particularly pretty obviously, though last Saturday was a nice improvement and it gave me hope.
- Offensive Line: the best of the bottom — they’ve done really well with the run and thanks to J.K. Dobbins. The pass blocking has been shaky at times, mostly on the right side of the line.
Ramzy: Mine would be:
6. QB - leadership ranks a one; feet and mechanics are significantly improved but accuracy and timing are still not where they need to be.
7. Linebackers - formidable against the run, but sometimes teams pass.
8. Defensive backs - see linebackers
9. Wide receivers - this is exhausting and I refuse to talk about it any further.
While Ohio State has yet to look great, the same can be said of their rivals to the north. If Ohio State and Michigan played this weekend in Ann Arbor, which team would be the favorite and by how many points? Who would you take to win and why?
Ramzy: I would fear a Michigan special teams touchdown, which in Ann Arbor would come with scorching 1990s PTSD. That being said, Ohio State's defensive weaknesses would be mitigated by Michigan's plodding offense and the Buckeyes would be able to move the ball with far more success than the Wolverines. The tone of Michigan Stadium would be palpable two drives into the 3rd quarter. Here we go again, to these fucking guys. By the early 4th quarter the energy would be solidly on the visitors' sideline and Ohio State would win by low double-digits.
Tommy: When Ohio State plays verse TUN, every game played earlier in the season has zero meaning. This game and rivalry is the best in all of sports. Both teams will always give everything they have in THE GAME regardless of record or rankings. The team that plays the hardest and is the most physical will always will this game. Both teams are loaded with talent and have great coaches so it comes down to the intangibles. Things like attention to detail, effort, physicality and confidence are huge in this rivalry, all things that you can’t coach but things that come naturally to some and are contagious around a locker room. If OSU was to play TUN this weekend in Ann Arbor, I would expect the Buckeyes to be 3 point favorites, but win by much more. History doesn’t lie.
Vico: I like Ohio State a small favorite (say: -1.5) in the Big House. Ohio State has major problems on defense but I don't see Michigan exploiting that. I do see Michigan clamping down on our offense behind the brilliant Don Brown's tutelage. I think that game would end something like 14-10, Ohio State.
Jimmy: Ohio State is absolutely the favorite though not by much, -3 or so. I think Michigan’s offense looking pretty average against defenses like Cincinnati and Air Force at points is definitely an advantage for Ohio State. I’d stay right around that area, and take the Buckeyes by 10, accounting for the point totals
Ohio State opened as a hefty 39-point favorite ahead of Saturday’s noon banger against the UNLV Rebels. Will the Buckeyes cover? Give us your final score and player to watch.
Jimmy: Ohio State 59, UNLV 3. Player to watch: J.K. Dobbins. I think the kid has over 200 rushing yards Saturday. UNLV’s rush defense is ranked a solid 114th.
Vico: Ohio State wins 45-17 and, thus, does not cover. J.T. Barrett leads the way for the Buckeyes as the offense tries to do to UNLV what Cam Newton's kid brother did to it in the season-opener.
Ramzy: Buckeyes cover, 63-14. Late scores by UNLV. Offensively, Barrett will extend his B1G record TD lead as Ohio State chunks down the field via RPOs and occasional 10+ yard shots. Defensively Jerome Baker should be in position to make a few fun highlights against the type of challenges Armani Rogers presents.
Tommy: I am confident that this weekend you will see a different Buckeye team take the field vs UNLV and I expect them to come on firing on both sides of the ball. With the start of B1G play in a few weeks, the Buckeyes need to make a statement this weekend and roll into B1G play with confidence. My player to watch is Austin Mack. Buckeyes cover, Final Score: Buckeyes 52, Rebels 10.
